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Fire believed to have started accidentally

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“Entire National Park at risk from unrepairable fire damage” - local wildlife expert says

By Sean Moriarty

Forrest fires in Killarney National Park are putting the entire park and Muckross House at risk - well-known local nature lover and Mangerton resident Frank Lewis said this week.

22 firefighters from Killarney and Killorglin Fire Stations battled the flames - which could be seen from miles around - for more than eight hours.
The blaze, which destroyed 100 acres of scrublands near Torc Waterfall and the locally known Cardiac Hill, is believed to have started on the Old Kenmare Road, a popular hiking route, on the northern face of Mangerton Mountain, and quickly spread to the Torc Waterfall area.

Once the fire was contained near the summit of Mangerton, firefighters left for a short break and returned later on Saturday morning for a further three hours.
County fire officials and local Gardai are still investigating the cause of the fire.

The burning of dead grasslands is legal between September 1 and February 28. Farmers burn commonage to facilitate the growth of new grass for livestock grazing purposes.

However, Friday night’s inferno was not on commonage land and unconfirmed reports suggest it was caused by a irresponsibly discarded cigarette butt or the remains of a picnic or barbecue.

“If this fire spread any further in it could have taken out the entire tree cover of the national park, it could have taken out a place like Muckross House,” Mr Lewis, the presenter of Radio Kerry’s Saturday Supplement, said. “Controlled burning of land is for the benefit of everyone, and back in the day the Herbert Estate staff would burn certain parts every five years in a controlled way. But these wildfires are irresponsible and it is only a matter of time before the damage done will take generations to repair.”

Scrubland on the mountain top can grow as high as one metre and according to local sources this is adding to the fire risk. Locals believe that by extending the burning season in to the middle of March and by allowing annual burning of the same areas would reduce the risk of fires getting out of control.

They also believe that this would solve the roaming deer issues on main roads through the National Park.

“Deer want to graze on fresh grass and it is no longer available on high ground,” added a source who did not want to be named. “If the land was burned once a year it would reduce the risk and fresh grass would grow on the mountain top so the deer would not roam on the roads.”

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Milltown plan to preserve history in community project 

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The Milltown History and Heritage Society has announced plans for an oral history archive for the community.

It is hoped that the collection and preservation of stories and folklore will be a valuable resource for future generations.

Oral history expert and historian Dr Tomás Mac Conmara will speak in Milltown in support of the launch.

Dr Mac Conmara, who is an award-winning oral historian, lecturer and author, will speak at the Muintir na Tíre Hall in Milltown at 8pm on Friday, October 24 and will introduce the fundamentals for the collection of oral history.

The presentation is free of charge and is supported by funding from the Creative Communities Grant Scheme 2025.

Attendees will be introduced to the practical skills required in interviewing, recording and documenting local heritage.

Stewart Stephans of the Milltown History and Heritage Society said they are excited to have Tomás to set them on the right path towards the development of the archive.

He said: “The collection and retention of oral history needs to be approached properly, drawing on the right advice and maintaining high standards, so we are pleased to be getting the input of such a renowned expert.” The event is open to anyone who would like to attend.

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Network Ireland Kerry discuss sustainable success

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Network Ireland Kerry held their third annual collaboration event last Wednesday at the Rose Hotel, Tralee. The theme was: “The Journey to Sustainable Success” which brought three industry experts together to talk about their own journey to sustainable successful.

Business professionals, entrepreneurs, and financial leaders came together for this highly anticipated event to learn about the journey from becoming a start-up, to a small-to-medium enterprise (SME), and a large SME.

The event was opened by AIB Branch Liaison for Network Ireland Kerry and AIB Castleisland Branch Manager, Colleen Shannon. It was MC’d by AIB Tralee Branch Manager, Stephen Stack.

Sarah Farrar of AINMHÌ, Garrett Dillon of Mr. Binman and Dillon Waste Ltd. and Susan Quirke-Crowley of Mounthawk Montessori School Group were among the speakers at the event.

These leaders spoke about their challenges, milestones, and breakthroughs they encountered, from launching an idea to scaling operations nationally.

Tara Elzingre of Tara Elzingre Consultancy, Zaneta Labuz-Czerwein of Rustic Boowa and Sharon Hartnett of U Coaching promoted their businesses for ‘Minute on the Mic’

Emily Reen, Network Ireland Kerry President, described the event as a testament to the power of partnership. She said: “The event underscored a powerful message: sustainable business success is not a solo journey. With the right partnerships, teams and financial tools, businesses of all sizes can grow with purpose, resilience, and long-term impact.”

Network Ireland Kerry will host their next monthly event on November 12 in Killarney and in collaboration with the Kerry Local Enterprise Office, titled: “Gain Competitive Advantage in Your Business”. This event will be MC’d by Karen Ronan, 2025 National Vice President of Network Ireland and CEO of Galway Chamber. This event is open to non-members and members, and everyone is welcome from 6 pm for networking and refreshments, with the event taking place from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm.

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